‘It was like something from outer space’

A GRANDMA was left baffled when a blazing object - looking like something from ‘outer space’ – landed on her roof. Marie Pandolfo was alerted to the bizarre incident when a neighbour banged on her door to say the top of her house was alight. Confused, Mrs Pandolfo called the police and fire brigade – who were equally shocked by the flaming phenomenon.

A GRANDMA was left baffled when a blazing object - looking like something from ‘outer space’ – landed on her roof.

Marie Pandolfo was alerted to the bizarre incident when a neighbour banged on her door to say the top of her house was alight. Confused, Mrs Pandolfo called the police and fire brigade – who were equally shocked by the flaming phenomenon.

"It was quite unnerving and I’m not a person who panics easily. It was just so unusual."

Luckily, the firey object managed to dislodge itself from the roof and land in the garden of her Crofthill Road garden in Moston before any serious damage was caused.

"The fire officer didn’t know what it was, but one fireman said the only time he had seen anything like it was in China. Since then I have found out that it was a sky lantern – a new must have for weddings and events. Funnily enough it’s described as ‘the hottest thing for 2009’, well it was for me."

It is thought the lantern may have come from a nearby event. Neighbours reported seeing the lit-up object drifting across the night sky before it settled on Mrs Pandolfo’s roof.

She added: "If it had landed in a builders’ yard it would have been horrendous. I think this lantern is a cheaper version of what is advertised on the internet and is obviously not fire resistant.

"It was a good thing the weather had been wet so there were no dry leaves in the gutter or my roof could have set on fire. But I think people should be made aware of how dangerous they are. Perhaps someone is making cheap copies of these lanterns and that is what this was?

"I know where it landed but I’d like to know where it came from."

She is now contacting Trading Standards to ensure no one else's property suffers any damage.